Stu Jenks' Fezziwig Press: Chagford

July 16, 2020

Images from the final months of the Trump Administration.

Yes, it's 4 months before the November election but it's a lock that Trump will no be reelected. I can hear some say "Don't jinx it. We said that about Hillary." Well, many independents disliked Hillary and didn't come out to vote. Now a ton of Democratic-leaning Independents hate Trump even worse than Clinton, and they will show up to end this horrible shit show that is the Trump Administration. And tens of 1000's of young people will be voting too, just like they did in 2018.

Most people look at my Facebook page for photos and info about me, maybe a few look at my Twitter feed, but hardly anyone I know comes here to my blog. That's OK, but I'm going to leave a large Easter egg here and I'm going to see if anyone notices.

In mid-August, I'm moving back to Greensboro, North Carolina, to hopefully find work there and to live the rest of my life with my lovely wife Alexa. All I need to do is find part-time work. I'll be OK.

And I miss Alexa like the Dickens.

My recovery from my radical prostatectomy surgery has been slow but moving forward. Still pain in my groin and sexual functioning is every so slowly returning but it is coming back a bit. The cancer is all gone and I can pretty much hold my piss and shit. That last sentence is a big fucking deal. Many men do not have that result after surgery. I do. I'm grateful.

So before I leave Arizona, here are some photos from the last few months: some good, some mundane, but all heartfelt.

And I'll see who text me, emails me or Facebook messages me and says, "Dude, you're moving? Man, we will miss you, but do what you gotta do."

I am. I need to go home and be with my wife.

Hugs, kisses and deep gratitude, y'all.

Stu

It's mid July and the Bighorn Fire is finally out. We think. It burned all over the Catalina Mountains for what? Six weeks? While the Covid-19 spread so did the fire. It was a bit much after a while. Everything right now is a bit much for many of us.

I may never see this place again. Been coming here for 33 years. And even though I'm sad, this canyon has given me so many things, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Big kiss, Coalmine.

Going to have the sell the Buick for scrap before I leave Arizona. It has a value lifter problem and the car is only worth $1000 at best, with 415,000 miles on it, and the repair would cost over $2000. Luckily, I have the old Pathfinder with a new clutch and a new-ish front end. Strong engine too. 'Spirals' on its license plate. I will be styling when I get to NC. Even the good-old-boys will respect an old truck like mine but the Arizona tags may make them a little suspicious.

This particular juniper tree I have been visiting for over 30 years. Have harvested its boughs for incense more than once. It's an old but very fragrant tree. I'll miss you buckaroo, but I'm taking some of you with me.

Obelisk!!! (Inside family joke.)

"Cast of Richard III, Meredith College, Raleigh, North Carolina, Summer of 1973" (c) Photographer unknown.

The first play I acted in, a couple months before I went off to UNC-Chapel Hill. In the Raleigh News and Observer, in their review of the play, I was mentioned positively in my role as Lord Dorset. That one sentence in the paper propelled me to a career in the Arts. I'm not kidding. All the photographs, music, books, projects, installations, etc., point back to that one role in Raleigh in 1973 and that one tiny bit of encouragement.

Yep. Fucked me up pretty bad. (That's a joke. Sorta.)

Baby, I'm coming home to you.

Posted at 10:02 PM in Alexa McColl Smith Jenks, Angel/Ghosts, Arizona, Art, Cactus, Cancer, Chagford, Death, Deserts, Ethics, Faith, Good Folk, Grand Canyon, Home, Love, National Parks, Night Photography, Nocturnal Photography, North Carolina, Pamela's Baby Rocking Chair, Photography, Pictorialist Photography, Relationships, Rocks, Sky, Stars, The Border, The Four Directions, The Road, The Sky, The West, Trees, Tucson | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 09, 2019

Spirals, Gods, Love & Light.

Some new images are in the post, some old and a couple of my beautiful wife, just because. And yes, in the summer, it rains in Tucson and if we are lucky, we see rainbows.

It hurts to be temporarily away from my sweet wife. She lives in North Carolina, but I have to make a living and so does she. Just the way it is for now. But I'm grateful beyond words that I got to spend a week with her at my little casita here in the Tucson Mountains. Love you madly, baby.

An old image that I recently fiddled with, using new technology. Originally printed in a chemical darkroom.

Was clearing up some space on an old hard-drive and I found this RAW file. Made it all fancy and new and spiritual and shit. A magical night on the plains of England in 2013.

Nope. I wasn't in any danger of falling while photographing this. Not really. But my tripod bag blew over the edge into a hole that night. I thought of climbing down to get it, then realized I may not get back out. One of my rules: Don't die dumb.

Got lost in the fog that day. Found my way home but it was a little tricky. Another rule: Don't wander on the moors when it's fog as shit.

Bad road of mud and sand. A long hike from the truck, but worth it to see this little man petroglyph and a Gila Monster off to my left. The pudgy little fellow ran away before I could take a photo of him. Gila Monsters are fast.

These students are too far away to identify, which is exacted what I wanted. Don't want to get anymore in trouble. Marijuana is illegal in North Carolina, don't you know. I just thought it was a sweet photo of an activity I used to do. Hmm. How many times did I do drugs along the railroad tracks? A lot.

I used to hate LA with its traffic but no more. It's the land of 1000 villages. You just have plan your visits to the villages. Highland Park is one of my favorites, and Downtown LA too. This image makes me said. Not sure why. I hope Becca is OK.

One of my favorite young emerging photographers is Alexis Helms from Raleigh, North Carolina. She has chops. And I feel blessed to call her my friend. Keep seeing, Alexis. Keep shooting.

I still take the PBRC out and about. It was a lovely little hike last weekend. Good place to watch the light fade. RIP Pamela, Mary and Stuart Jenks.

And if you are interested, there are two Pamela's Baby Rocking Chair books out there: Pamela's Baby Rocking Chair (The Deaths of Pamela and Mary Jenks), Fezziwig Press, 2013 and Cherry Picking Leviticus, Fezziwig Press, 2018. You can purchase them at the usual places online or from me at www.stujenks.org.

A few times a year I travel an hour south to Mexico, to get my teeth cleaned, to buy my medications for half price and to pray at this humble Catholic church a few hundred yards south of the border. I love Mexico and its people. They remind me of my southern brethren: Polite, kind, humorous and religious. Via con Dios. Go with God.

Another place I go to pray. I tell people often that you don't have to believe in a God to pray. Just think loving thoughts about the people you cherish, and maybe throw in a few prayers toward the people you have problems with. I can promise you, you'll feel better for it.

We don't really need another photograph of saguaros in the world, but the light was awfully nice yesterday, the angle was great and yes, they are kind of magical plants, aren't they. Fun Fact: I first hiked to this spot in December, 1982, soon after moving to Tucson from North Carolina. Yep. That's almost 37 years ago. I was 28 I think. I'm 64 now. And not much has changed, at all, on the primitive trail heading up to this hill. Most people go across the road, to walk, kiss, screw, drink, and lollygag about. Not over here, and that makes me happy. I try to find gratitude in many things, both big and small. This is both a big and a small blessing to me, the peace and beauty of this place.

Love, light and luck, y'all. Keep the faith, however you do that, and keep your lamp trimmed and burning. Your light in the world matters. More than you know.

Stu

Posted at 03:14 PM in Arizona, Art, Black & White Photography, Chagford, Fire, Flame Spirals, Good Folk, Love, Mountains, Nature, North Carolina, Other Artists, People, Raleigh, Religion, Sex, Sexuality, Sky, Stones, Stu Jenks, The Arizona Trail, The West, Travel, Trees | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 31, 2016

The Snail Sisters' Folly...

Posted at 04:51 PM in Black & White Photography, Buildings, Chagford, Dartmoor, England, United Kingdom | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 20, 2016

Beginning to speak my political mind on the StuBlog...

Heading out tonight to shoot, equipped with battery-powered Christmas lights and with my grandmother Nannie's mirror. Wish me luck. I always go with some plan, that I tend to throw away once I'm in the space. Hope plan B works out, but you never know. I have high standards for my stock photography work. If it's crap, you won't see it here.

Also, I'll be talking more about politics on my blog.

One of the unspoken rules of being a working artist or musician or writer, who isn't rich to begin with, is to not to speak your political mind because a good 1/3 of our customers are conservative folk, that we don't want to insult, so they don't then buy our work. Well, screw that. There is too much going on in 2016 for me to keep quiet any longer.

Arizona is in play this election. Polls show Thump is only up by four points in Arizona, a Republican Goldwater state, mind you. Senator McCain might lose his re-election bid to a very competent Democratic woman. And a narcissistic businessman with orange hair wants to be the king of America.

No matter what any of the talking heads on TV says, there are really no undecided voters out there. It's all about turnout. If progressive people of colors, forward-thinking women, hopeful young people, and liberal and moderate white folk don't show up at the polls in November, Donald Trump just might win. If however we show up in force, it will be a landslide of biblical proportion. Ann Kirkpatrick will send John McCain back to Sedona, and we might actually get the U.S. Senate back in Democratic hands. (Sadly, due to gerrymandering, the U.S. House is pretty hopeless, but who knows. Maybe.)

So vote, ye moderates and liberals. The other side, those conservative white folks out there? They will show up, no matter how much they dislike Trump. They will vote for him. We need to vote for our side.

And if you hate or distrust Hillary Clinton and are a progressive, you need to get over that, hold your nose, and think of the greater good.

Three words, people.

The Supreme Court.

I frankly don't want to see one of the guys from Duck Dynasty on the Court. Or freaking Chris Christie either. Abortion needs to stay legal, Obamacare need to not be overturned, and voting rights needs to be restored, just to name a few important issues.

Politics may be athletics for ugly people, but policies matter. Laws matter. The Social Contract matters.

Vote.

So here endeth my political message for today. If you disagree with me, fine. Just don't be a jerk and type troll shit back to me. It's not polite.

Wish me luck tonight. Hopefully I'll get some good images that I can make a little coin with, and that will make y'all smile.

I'll listen to what the land and the sky says to me, and I'll bring those voices back home.

To you.

Love, light, and luck,

Stu.

Posted at 03:59 PM in Arizona, Art, Chagford, Current Affairs, Elections, History, Nocturnal Photography, Photography, Politics, Stu Jenks, The Road, The West, Travel, United Kingdom, Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 29, 2013

"Wistman's Wood"

I used to like Halloween as a child, with its Baby Ruth candies, its neighborhood spookiness and it being my mother's birthday too, but I haven't liked the holiday for years. I'm not a big fan that in America many adults use the holiday as an opportunity to express their sexual darkness, or their romanticism of Death, or their drunken angry inner selves. That being said, I do like the reverence of the Christian All Souls' Day, All Saints' Day and the resurgence of The Day Of The Dead celebrations, with personal altars displaying photographs of loved ones gone, and orange marigolds on graves newly cleaned.

I'll be walking in the All Souls' Procession in Tucson this Sunday, but I'm planning a more personal observance this weekend, of this time of the year when the veil between worlds is thin. Next year, I hope to be near Lively, Virginia, sitting on a bench in my family plot on November 1st, small candles burning near the headstones of my mother, father and sister.

Above is a photograph I took of Wistman's Wood last Spring when I was visiting friends in Chagford, Dartmoor. One of the oldest remaining oak wood in all of the UK, beautifully dwarfed by time and wind, Wistman's Wood truly is a sacred place, being its own gateway between earth and sky.

I wish I was there right this second, holding a photo of my family in one hand and a bunch of marigolds in the other. Or if not there, sitting on a marble bench in the Northern Neck of Virginia.

Posted at 03:25 PM in All Souls' Procession, Chagford, Dartmoor, Death, Family, Grief and Loss, Trees, United Kingdom | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

May 13, 2013

"Scorhill Stone In Thick Deep Mist"

I read Shelagh's map. I thought I knew the way to Scorhill Circle. I did not. I got lost in Gidleigh Wood. Or rather, as Daniel Boone once said, "I've never been lost but I've been a might bewildered." That I was.

Yet sometimes when I get lost, I find wonders. I found a folly that evening, a Victorian building built for no particular use other than to employ the manor's workers. I asked around. Oddly, no one except one person knew of this folly. It seemed I wandered onto private land. Oops. One person said if was where two mad sisters lived a hundred years ago who only ate snails. The Snail Sisters. OK.

I retraced my steps and eventually found my way to the Scorhill Circle. Socked in deep mist, long exposure night photography was out for the mist coated my lens. Disappointed? Only a little. I sat on a nearby fall stone, had a smoke, and prayed in the dimming light and the thick damp mist. It was a very good walk in spite of a very large little toe blister I produced that hobbled me the rest of the trip. It was worth it.

In Tucson again. Wind blowing hard. I love the wind. But I'd be lying if I didn't say I long for mist. Thick deep mist.

Some people leave their hearts in San Francisco. I left a part of mine in Dartmoor. I may have to return to get that piece back or leave more heart there. I haven't decided yet. Leaning toward the latter.